Praneeta Prakash 
file photo
Opposition Member of Parliament, Hem Chand says the Education Ministry should come up with innovative initiatives to address the school dropout crisis.
While responding to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu’s opening address to Parliament, Chand raised serious concerns about the alarming rise in school dropouts particularly among students before completing Year Eight.
Chand highlighted the recent data from the Ministry of Education, which revealed that in 2023, more than 1,000 students dropped out of school before reaching Year Eight.
He says this marks the highest number of school dropouts in the past five years, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
“Increase in dropouts despite investment in education indicates that something is seriously wrong. Mr. Speaker said government should invest in assessing what is the root cause behind the spike in school dropouts. This must be government’s topmost priority.”
Chand warns that failure to address the issue could lead to a rise in youth crime and an increase in children begging on the streets.
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